Discovering Felicity
by TanyaKay
Summary: This is the story of a man named Oliver Queen who is discovering one thing about the love of his life Felicity Smoak, one chapter at a time.
1. Who are you when I am not looking

**Who are you when I am not looking **

It started off as a drabble in response to AbsentlyAbbie's ridiculous prompt number 11 (where she wanted Felicity in Sara's black canary gear, some badassery and the two ladies teaming up). Then olicity1013 wanted a fic where Oliver learns something new about Felicity and it shocks and surprises him. I decided to combine the two. Hopefully, you guys (Abbie and Olicity1013 in particular) will like it.

This will be a collection of random one or two shots where Oliver discovers something new about Felicity.

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Felicity jumped from her chair when she saw Sara coming down the stairs with Oliver. She abandoned her computers and the searches she was running and rushed towards her.

"You are back! You have no idea how happy I am to see you," Felicity hugged Sara tightly.

Sara, who was clearly not ready for such a warm welcome, looked at Oliver and raised her eyes.

"Whoa, if I had known that I would get such a warm welcome, I would have come back much earlier," Sara hugged her back.

"Well, now you know. This is standard welcome back hug, had you gotten me a present, you would have gotten a super special welcome that comes with 4 course meal cooked by  
yours truly. Who am I kidding; I would still cook for you but not a four course meal. I am just glad that you are here and by here I mean not just in Starling City but here with us," Felicity smiled while tugging Sara's hand and taking her inside.

Oliver who was standing beside the two blonde girls looked at a bemused Diggle and asked, "Since when have they become such good friends?"

"No idea man, she was here briefly, but then our girl does not take much time in befriending anyone," Diggle was still looking at two blonde heads next to each other looking at the computer screen and laughing at something on the other end of the lair.

Sara looked up and waved a greeting at Diggle, who joined them in the conversation, leaving a perplexed Oliver behind.

Five minutes later, Oliver left for the patrol with Diggle following him as the backup.

"There is something I wanted to talk to you about," Felicity said to Sara after Oliver and Diggle had left.

"Shoot, as long as it is not about fashion, I am game. In case you have not noticed, I only wear jeans and tees," Sara pointed at her casual attire.

"Oh don't knock down your leather ensemble, you rock it better than any model on the runways during the fashion weeks and no it is not aboutclothes," Felicity twisted her fingers and then looked up at Sara, "it is actually about fighting."

"Fighting whom? What happened, has something happened with Oliver?" Sara's knitted eye brows showed her concern.

"What no, how does he come into this? What I wanted to talk about – and you are not telling the guys – is that I have been taking classes," Felicity started.

"What kind of classes?" Sara interrupted.

"Well, it all started when Oliver's psycho ex girl friend – Diggle's words, not mine - kind of man handled me to hack FBI's database for her," Felicity was going on with her story when Sara interrupted her again.

"Wait, what? Oliver had a girl friend who roughed you up because she wanted you to hack govt data base and not because she was jealous that the two of you spend literally every waking hour with each other," Sara had questions.

"Nah, that was before Oliver moved me to the top floor, I used to work in IT back then so I was not really spending all that time with him and Oliver I think was dating that gorgeous cop who moved to Coast City because the psycho ex girlfriend shot her. Now that I think about it, I consider myself lucky that she did not shoot me, after all she was a little unhinged, bent on vendetta against her father who was a mob boss" Felicity rambled on.

"God, there is a mob boss in the middle of it all not to mention another girl – no less than a cop – who got shot in the mix? This is more complicated than Calculus," Sara had trouble keeping up with story.

"Actually Calculus is not that difficult, there is a method to conquering mathematics and I will not go into because you really don't want to know that. Let me start from the beginning," and with that Felicity told Sara everything there was to know about Helena Bartinelli.

"The reason for telling you all about it was that it made me realize that if I want to be here with Diggle and Oliver, I need to be stronger and capable of fighting back when attacked. Diggle started training me but then he too got busy with everything that keeps us busy so I started taking some self defense classes. While I was doing self defense training, I realized that I was really good at kick boxing – years of gymnastics training helped I guess – so I continued with it and according to my instructor, I am his star pupil," Felicity told Sara all about her physical training story.

"Are you telling me that you have been kick boxing for over a year now and no one – I mean not even Diggle who sees everything – knows about it?" Sara was stunned.

"Yups, and the reason I am telling you all this is that I want you to fight with me and tell me how I am at this whole thing. I mean I want to know if I am really good at it or is it just my instructor going a little heavy with positive reinforcement," Felicity was apprehensive when she asked Sara who sat very still – as if she is shocked.

"So will you do it Sara?" Felicity asked again.

"You sure you want to do it with me? You have no idea the kind of things I have done and once I get going, it is difficult to stop me" Sara wanted to be sure.

"Don't worry; you are not scaring me with your past. I trust you," Felicity smiled, "lemme go and change and then see me in action."

With that Felicity picked up her gym bag and went to change into workout clothes.

Twenty five minutes later, they both were lying down on the mats – sweaty and laughing like crazy.

"You really think I am good," Felicity was still not sure.

"You kept up with me darling, and setting all modesty aside, I know that I am the very best at this kind of thing. If you can keep up with me then you are more than adequate for any street thug or other crazy jealous exes that Oliver may spring up on you. Technically, I too am a crazy ex - minus the jealous part – but you don't need to worry about me," Sara assured Felicity.

"I know, that is why you are the first person apart from my instructor, who knows that I kick box," Felicity sat up and looked at Sara.

"Can I ask you something?" Sara too sat up and when Felicity nodded, she continued.

"When Oliver first introduced us, you just warmed up to me in a blink of an eye and even though it was Oliver who have known me for literally all my life, it was you who made me  
feel welcome and part of this weird wonderful underground crime fighting club. Not only that but you also offered to go to my dad to warn him when Al Awal was in town and helped me in every way you could, why did you do that? You know I am not a nice person. I have killed and I will probably kill in the future."

"Don't sell yourself short Sara. You probably know that I know your whole story with Oliver right, I mean how can I not know – every other article about Oliver starts with the details of how he was dating Laurel and then ran off with her baby sister and then died and then resurfaced – and everyone painted you as this greedy grabby little monster who went after her sister's extremely rich and handsome boyfriend. You were dead for heaven's sake, not there to defend yourself and everyone was calling you names. No one called Oliver names for cheating on his girl friend because you know 'boys will be boys', no one said anything about Laurel, I mean who knows it could have been Laurel who cheated on Oliver and then he went with you in reaction – I mean I am not saying that she actually did that – but no one bothered to find out if there was more to the story then cut and dried narrative of a nasty kid sister – perhaps you just hitched a ride on the boat because you wanted to get away or went to your friend's boat to sleep off a hangover and the boat sailed while you were sleeping or perhaps you and Oliver were actually having a torrid passionate love affair – the point of my tirade is that I was pissed that a dead girl was flogged for something when there were more than one players in the whole drama. If there is one thing I have learned since I started working with Oliver, it is that things are never as white and black as they seem, everything lies between shades of grey. As I always side with the underdog, I just had to give you the benefit of doubt. I am glad I did that because the minute I set eyes on you, I knew that we will be friends," Felicity told her the whole story while drawing patterns on the mat with her fingers. When she did not hear anything from Sara she looked up and saw Sara looking down at the mats with silent tears streaming down her face.

"Hey, I am sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, at times, I just run away with it without realizing what I am saying," Felicity moved to sit beside her and squeezed Sara's hand.

"No, I am not crying because of anything you said. I am crying because it has been forever since someone showed this kind of unconditional support to me. Forget all the years after the Queen's Gambit went down where every day was a battle for survival, but even before that. I mean my own sister and parents believed the worst of me, but you still saw the good in me, how do you do that?" Sara wondered aloud.

"I don't know, I guess I am just wired that way, plus no one is all good or all bad. We all have good sides and bad sides, good days and bad days and despite your serious ninja skills, leather pants, and your kick ass bostaff, you are just like the rest of us, a mix of good or bad," Felicity said with a reassuring smile.

"How about we stop thinking about judgmental family members and horrid islands and eat some sinfully rich food and drink some excellent wine? We will pick up food on the way and then it will be my couch, red wine and me whining about my nonexistent romantic life?" Felicity decided to change the mood.

"How about we postpone this wonderful plan for a couple of hours, gear up ourselves and hit the streets to rough up some gang bangers crawling the streets?" Sara's eyes were twinkling with anticipation.

"What do you mean by we? If you want to go, go I will help you from here. What part of the glades do you wanna hit tonight? I know Oliver and Diggle are on the West side, do you want to join them?" Felicity got up and was moving towards her computers.

"Forget Oliver and Digg, I am talking about us. You have shown me that you too have acquired some skills of your own, how about we test those skill in real life environment while stopping a crime or two? I swear it will be so much fun," Sara was all gung ho about going out to patrol as Black Canary.

"You sure? I just don't want to be a liability," Felicity was apprehensive but excited as well.

"Oh don't worry. We are not taking on League of Assassins, let's check the streets of Glades and see what lowlife get his comeuppance from ladies in black leather," for a change Sara was excited and acting like a young woman in twenties instead of a serious person always battling in life and death situations.

"I left my clothes last time I was here, do you still have them?" Sara asked Felicity.

"Yups, had them dry cleaned as well. You know I had to send out every piece to a different dry cleaning service so that they don't get suspicious," Felicity happily dug out the leather costume.

"Well, I have another one so this one is yours. Dress up, we are going out to kick some serious ass," Sara smiled.

"Is this my gift? Because if it is then I am definitely cooking you a grand meal," a very exuberant Felicity hugged Sara, "you are the best."

The two girls left the lair shortly and went out looking for bad guys.

An hour later, they were back. They beat up two guys going after a couple of intoxicated girls in the back alley of a club. They guys were no novices so they put up a fight. Felicity was bruised but thrilled to bits as well.

"You know I have always been small and a little nerdy, and I was picked on at school but never knew how to fight back, what happened tonight was a pay back to all those assholes. Thank you for making me believe in my abilities, I know now that I can take care of myself. It's like Christmas, Hanukah and my birthday all rolled in one," Felicity was so high on adrenalin that she could not sit still when she got back.

"Easy there. This is the first time you were out. They were not expecting us, so we had element of surprise plus there were two of us. You are not doing this without me or Oliver, you understand?" Sara tried to rein in the super excited Felicity.

"Oh no, I have no intention of turning vigilante, the two of you are more than enough. I am just happy that I was able to help those girls, makes me feel empowered, that's all," Felicity assured Sara.

Felicity was bent down the medicine cabinet looking for some ointment to put on her bruises when Oliver walked in. He walked up to her and asked, "Where is Felicity?"

"This is Felicity," Sara said from the other end of the room.

Oliver turned to look at Sara and then back at Felicity who stood straight - clad in black leather with her blonde mane flowing at the back – anxiety written all over face.

"What exactly is going on here?" Oliver looked like he was struck by the lightening.

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**A/N**

So how was it. Please leave comments and suggestion about things that you think Oliver can discover about Felicity.

(Emily Bett Rickards mentioned in one of her interviews that she has done gymnastics in school so I thought I should incorporate that in this story.)

The title of the fic is from Blake Shelton's song Who are you when I am not looking.


	2. Angry Felicity

Oliver discovered that there are some things that make Felicity very angry.

Felicity was glad she wore trousers that day as she hopped on the giant table on the conference room and moved a few cards and post its on the table. There would be a board meeting in few days and Felicity was working on a performance and projections presentation story board, hence the multi colored cards and sticky notes on the table. Normally she would work on a computer, but when Mark from Marketing, with whom she was working on the presentation suggested that they do it manually with colored cards to see the flow of the story board in a go, she agreed. For the first time since she assumed the role of EA, she enjoyed working on a presentation because it felt like less like a corporate report and more like a school project.

It was around 6:45 pm, Mark was long gone and she was waiting for Oliver to emerge from the meeting with company CFO to have a look at it and approve before she gets it on the computer. Though Oliver never argued with anything she ever came up with but Felicity, being the stickler for propriety, wanted Oliver's approval for most official decisions. 

Oliver came back to his office and threw a file on his table that most probably was given to him by the finance people. He looked around for Felicity and when he saw her on top of the table, he raised an eye brow. There she was, clad in grey trousers, white blouse and a slim red belt, balanced on a foot and one knee, almost in an acrobatic pose, moving a card at the other end of the table.

"Is this some new game of twister that is only played on conference room tables that I am not aware of?" He asked.

"Seriously! Twister on a table? What kind of a peculiar game would that be? I am working on the presentation for the board meeting next week, Mark suggested that we do it this way and I kinda like it. Just have a look and let me know if you are okay so that I can get started on putting it all in order," she sat on her hunches and gestures for him to come in.

"You know you run this office, I am sure whatever you have done would be great," Oliver walked in.

"Yeah, but I still want you in the know because it is your name that is plastered outside the building, and the elevators, the hall and almost every piece of stationary in the building, I think it is only fair that you should know what it is we are talking about before you stand in front of your board," she made a face and started explaining how she was planning to go about it.

They worked together for another 15 minutes with Felicity sitting cross legged on one end of the table and Oliver standing across the table with the whole presentation between them. They were almost done with their work when Felicity saw Laurel standing on the doorway.

"Hi Laurel, how are you doing?" She smiled.

Laurel ignored her and moved towards Oliver as he turned around to look at her. Before he could have greeted her, she poked his chest and said, "No matter how much time has passed, something things never change and Oliver Queen is one of them. Once a cheating douche, always a douche."

"Laurel, are you okay?" Oliver asked.

"I think I should leave the two of you alone. You obviously have things to work out so errr, I am just gonna go," Felicity did not want to be in the middle of another Laurel/Oliver episode so she jumped off the table and picked up her shoes that she discarded on the floor when she got on that table.

"Oh no, stay here. I mean you should know it, after all, it is you he is cheating on this time," Laurel moved to stand in front of the door blocking Felicity's exit.

"Can I please just …?" Felicity really wanted out of that room but Laurel did not let her finish.

"Did you tell her, Ollie, that you are now screwing my sister – again – behind her back or will she too find out like me when you are both gone and presumed dead," Laurel was looking at Oliver with contempt.

"Excuse me!" Felicity was taken aback at the outburst, "Oliver, what is this?" she asked him.

Oliver however refused to look at Felicity and was staring at Laurel.

"Listen Laurel, I have no idea what you are talking about but no one is cheating anyone here, and I really don't want to be part of this whole – whatever that goes on between you guys – thing so I am just gonna …" Felicity waved her hands with her red stilettos and started to move again.

"Laurel please, leave her out of it," Oliver touched Laurel's arm.

"No you stay out of it Oliver," Laurel brushed his hand aside and followed Felicity to her desk.

"I am here to warn you Felicity; Oliver is not what you think. He may be playing footsies in the conference room with you but he is screwing my sister behind your back, dump him before her breaks you down like he did with me," Laurel was hysterical.

Felicity, who after putting in an 11 hour work day with only 5 hours of sleep was tired, moved to stand in front of Laurel.

"For the last time, there is nothing going on between Oliver and I. We work together and I consider him my friend when I don't feel like murdering him but that is just about it. He can go and do whatever he wants with whomever he wants; it has nothing to do with me. Just let go Laurel, life is too short for being angry all the time, its exhausting" she said with barely contained anger.

She then moved towards Oliver who was standing just behind Laurel and looked at him furious eyes. If Oliver did not know until now, he realized how extremely angry Felicity was when she faced him, all determined jaw and squared shoulders.

"Oliver, you make my life so complicated, at times I wonder why the hell I put up with you. I am a nice person, there was a time when I used to get along with everyone, people used to like me and now everyone is after me, especially all the women in your life. No seriously! What is wrong with all of them? Helena, your psycho ex-girl friend left me tied up in my office, Isabel, your business partner has made it her mission to disparage everything I do and everything I am, not to mention the stupid rumors that she spread – don't think I don't know, or I don't know that you know, I know everything that goes on in this building. As if that was not all, we have your mother, who threatened me because she chose to deceive you and now this – another ex girlfriend trying to bond with me over your whatever it is that you do with other women when I have absolutely no idea what it is and want nothing to do with it! What's next? Your baby sister would probably accuse me of absconding with your family jewels or something," Felicity said bitingly, so livid that she was shaking with anger.

Oliver opened his mouth to apologize and called her name but she raised her hand to stop him.

"Not another word Oliver Queen, I need some time away from you to think if what we do is worth putting up with this," she bent down to put on the shoes she dropped earlier, went back to her desk, picked up her purse and left.

Laurel and Oliver were standing in the space between his office and her desk, quietly looking at the space she vacated when she reentered the office and threw another angry look at Oliver.

"Don't touch the cards on the table. Don't let anyone else touch the cards on the table. I will work on the presentation tomorrow – if I decide to come in at all." She threw that him and turned, taking angry strides with a swinging ponytail towards the elevators.

"Oliver I didn't know that she was not…" Laurel was a tad contrite.

"Forget it Laurel, just …" Oliver moved to sit down on the chair behind his desk.

Laurel stood there for another minute, taking in everything including Oliver Queen's devastated face and then she too left.

Despite his wealth and privilege, Oliver's life has never been easy and gotten more difficult since he his return from the Lian Yu. His life was a mess but Felicity somehow made sense of everything and made things easy for him, now that she is gone, he does not know what to do because he is kind of lost without her.

Felicity surprised Oliver. He never thought she was capable of that kind of anger but then he never did imagine that anything like could ever happen in real life. Not only was she accused of having an affair with him, she was also painted as a victim in the same breath and if there is one thing Oliver has learned about Felicity, she hated being relegated to the victim status.

He had no idea how was he going to do it but he knew that he has to go after Felicity and apologize to her till she decided to forgive him. He took his phone out and dialed a familiar number.

"Diggle, I may need your help with something. I have to apologize."

Notes:

Well, it is quite obvious that this chapter has some spoilers for 2x13 but in my head, Felicity would not make a big deal out of it even if she is feeling it. She is not that kinda girl.

Reviews/criticis/comments are always welcome. I would be grateful for any and all kinds of feedback.


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